Fence.



W. P. SCOFIELD.

FENCE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1316.

1,228,062. Patented May 29,1917."

TED STATES FATEN @FFTCE.

WALTER 1?. SCOFIELD, OF WOODROW, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 DAVID C.

' GILLETT, OF TAMPA, FLORIDA. l r

FENCE.

Application filed J'une 3, 1916. Serial No. 101,584.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER P. SoorrELD,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Woodrow, in the county of Lee and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 7

The present invention relates to improvements in fences, and has for an object to provide an improved fence which will be constructed of band metal arranged to be secured to fence posts as now done in the case of wire mesh fencing.

Broadly stated, the improved fence embodies line bands of flat thin metal secured to vertical stays of similar construction; such bands and stays being spaced apart and secured together by improved joints formed from the metal of thebands and stays without separate parts, the bands and stays thus making a mesh-work of ornamental nature ready to be secured to the fence posts.

The improved fence as thus constructed is adapted to be rendered capable of expansion and contraction by including in the line bands and stays bent or doubled portions,

the metal being preferably of some elasticity i whlle, 1n the drawings, the depressions 3 are for causing contraction after the expanding strain has been removed.

A further object of the present invention resides in providing and constructing an improved metallic fence, the elements of which can be formed by present machinery as now installed in factories, and which can be made cheaply and will be of increased durability and strength over wire or other fences as now built.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an improved fence as constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the abutting ends of adjacent line bands illustrating a connection therefor.

Fig. 1 is a similar view showing the com nection as eflected.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of band; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a plain fence without barbs. 1

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates the line bands and 2 the vertical stays. The line bands 1, as shown to advantage in Fig. 1, are passed alternately to one side and the other of the vertical stays 2; while the latter are similarly passed bands Where the line bands 1 and stays 2 cross each other, they are jointed together preferably by the connection shown in the drawings, which involves no separate parts, but which is formed solely of the material of the fencing. This connection includes dealternately to opposite sides of the line .pressions 3, formed in the stays 2 to receive heads 4 pressed out of the line bands 1. The line bands 1 are clamped with the heads 4 occupying the depressions 3 by tongues 5 and 6, stamped out of the materialof the stays 2 and bent over in opposite directions, for which see Figs. 1 and 2. In thus stamping out the t0ngues 5 and 6, openings 7 and 8 are made in the stays 2, which may receive nails or other fastening means, whereby the fencing is secured to posts of ordinary construction. I

It is to be understood, of course, that shown in the stays2, the heads 4: in the line bandsl and the tongues 5 and 6 stamped out I 2 for the purpose of imparting adjustability and the capacity to contract and expand, the

metal of the parts being for this purpose preferably slightly resilient to exert sufficient stress to contract the fence, through the portions 9 and 10 after any strain that may have been imposed v thereonhas been relieved. p I I At the upper ends of the verticalstays 2 and beyond the uppermost line band 1, said stays are cut and bent to provide end lugs 11 and 12, overturned above the uppermost band 1 and intermediate barbs 13 and 14 one of which stands upwardly, while the other isbent over at right angles to project horizontally. It is obvious that barbs may be stamped from other portions of the fence, if desired.

Referring now more particularly! to Figs. 3 and 4, a preferred form of connecting the ends of the line bands 1 is here shown to con sist of rectangular or other depressionsl'5, pressed in the end 16 of one of the line bands for receiving similarly shapedheads 17 formed on the end of the adjacent line band 18. The end of the line band 18 is formed with a series of spaced notches or recesses 19 along both the upper andlower edges; and when the bands 16 and 18 are assembled as in Fig. At, lugs 20 on the end 16 are fitted through said notches 19 and clenched over on the free face of'the band 18, as shown at 21 in Fig. .4.

InFig. 5 is shown at-18 amodi-fied form of fence band, in which the samemay be made of metal, fiat, thin and flexible, as in the case of the bands shown in the.pre ferredform, but-the longitudinal edges of which. are preferably turned. over. or. otherwise reinforced, as indicated at19 and 20 to impart additional strength and durability to the fence.

Having reference now to Fig 6, 22 indicatesthe uppermost line band ofafence, and 23 one of the stays which is connected thereto by the head and socket joint, asindicatedin dotted'lines at 24:. Inthis form of the invention .the :barbs are dispensed with andthe fence made plainby'turning over the extremity 25 of the stay 23,.w-ithout slitting or dividing the same or bending any barbs therefrom. The end 25 ispreferably of a length to extend .overthe joint24c, concealing and efiectually locking the bands and stays together.

It will be appreciated from theforegoing that the-fence, as above described,-.may be formedcomplete at the factory androlled up for shipment, as is the'practice with wire fencing, or the .line bands and stays may be manufactured without assembling and. connecting the sameandtransported-to the field where they may be. connected and 7 set upwithout any great amount. oftrouble or expense; and when completed form an attractive, durable, and strongfence, which can be readily seen andis not deceptive, as are wire fences nowso generallyin use.

It is obviousthat those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit. of my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to such features except as --may berequired. by the claims.

.I claim: .1. .In .a (fence, line bands, stays crossing said-line bands, heads and sockets formed between said bands and stays, and :means for. connecting said, bands and stays. to. hold the heads in said sockets including tongues punched from one series of said members and overturned rearwardlyagainstthe anemcbers of;the other series, substantially as debetweensaid bands and stays, .andtongues punched from said stays and being overturned in opposite directions against said 1 said linebands and secured thereto, zloops bands leaving openings. for. receivingv fasteningmeans, substantially as described.

3. Ina fence,'line bands havingnotches .at one. end thereof, complemental; rectangular heads and sockets .stamped .from said bands, and lugs bent transversely, from the opposite end of the band and inter-engaged with said notches, substantially-as described.

L-III a fence, .1ine-bands, stays crossing bent in said stays and bands for permitting .of, contractionand expansion, lugs bent from one endof each ,of said-bandsand folded over. on lines of fiexure extending .longitudinally of-theband and clampedclown against theadjacent end of the-nextaband,

substantially as described.

5. .In a fence, .stays, linebands crossing vsaid stays, loops bent in saidstays and bands for permitting of contraction andexpansion and joints between ,-St1d. bands :and staysincluding heads, sockets occupied by said heads, and tongues punched fromsaid stays and bent. over in pairs in opposite directions -.rearwardly to clamp said bands,

substantiallyas described. 7

2.6. .In a fence, stays, line 7 bandscrossing said stays, loops bent insaid bands and-stays for permitting of exp ansion-and contraction,

means connecting said bands.- and stays in eluding sockets. on said bands, heads on said .stays fitting said sockets, tongues punched from said stays and bent over.rear-wardlyin opposite directions to clamp said bands with the heads occupying said; sockets ,and leaving openings to receive fastening means, and

lugspunched from one. end ofeach of said line bandsand adapted to be bent over trans- .versely with their 'bases extending longitudinally. of the band. and. clenched-against the end of the next adjacent band,-substantially as described.

:7. Ina fence, line bands,-stays=secured. to said line .bands .'-and projecting ;.above and below the uppermost ,.and lowermost :line

band, barbs= formed. on. the projecting upper and .lowerends of :said stays, lugs @also formed on the stayends and being bent over and clenched against the adjacent line bands, loops bent from said bands and stays, means for.joining said bands .and stays including sockets, heads o cupying said sockets, and tongues punche from one series of :said

members and overturned ,agai-nst the other series, and means for uniting the: endsofthe line bands including heads, sockets occupied by said heads and lugs bent transversely.

from one end and clenched over against the end of the next adjacent band, substantially as described.

8. An improved fence including fiat metal bands, flat metal stays, said bands and stays being passed alternately to opposite sides of one another, doubled portions in said bands and stays for admitting of contraction and expansion, means for connecting said bands and stays including depressions, heads fitting in said depressions and tongues for holding the members With the depressions and heads engaging, and means for uniting the ends of adjacent bands including heads and sockets formed in said band ends, one of said bands having series of notches therein, and series of lugs bent from the other of said bands and received into the notches in the companion band, said lugs being clenched over on the free face of the companion band, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

WALTER P. SCOFIELD.

Copies of this patent may beobtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

